Fibre channel forwarder device local routing system

ABSTRACT

A Fibre Channel Forwarder (FCF) routing system includes an FCF device that is coupled to a FC networking device through a first FCF device port, an initiator device through a second FCF device port; and a target device through a third FCF device port. The FCF device receives, at the second FCF device port, traffic that originates from the first initiator device and that is addressed to the first target device. The FCF device determines, using an FCF device association table that identifies zones provided by the FC networking device, that the target device is associated with the initiator device. The FCF device then routes, in response to determining the target device is associated with the initiator device, the traffic through the third FCF device port to the target device without forwarding the traffic through the first FCF device port to the FC networking device.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to information handlingsystems, and more particularly to locally routing Fibre ChannelForwarder (FCF) traffic by information handling systems.

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individualsand businesses seek additional ways to process and store information.One option available to users is information handling systems. Aninformation handling system generally processes, compiles, stores,and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or otherpurposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of theinformation. Because technology and information handling needs andrequirements vary between different users or applications, informationhandling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled,how the information is handled, how much information is processed,stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the informationmay be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in informationhandling systems allow for information handling systems to be general orconfigured for a specific user or specific use such as financialtransaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage,or global communications. In addition, information handling systems mayinclude a variety of hardware and software components that may beconfigured to process, store, and communicate information and mayinclude one or more computer systems, data storage systems, andnetworking systems.

Some information handling systems are configured to provide a FibreChannel (FC) Storage Area Network (SAN) for the storage of data. In suchsystems, an FC switch device may be utilized to couple the FC SAN toserver devices via a Fibre Channel Forwarder (FCF) device that performsFC over Ethernet (FCoE)-to-FC protocol conversions on Ethernetcommunications sent from the server devices to the FC SAN, as well asFC-to-FCoE protocol conversions on FC communications sent from the FCSAN to the server devices. Such FCF devices allow server devices thatcommunicate via the Ethernet protocol to utilize FC SANs thatcommunicate via the FC protocol. However, the conventional functionalityof such FCF devices raises a number of issues.

For example, servers in such systems may utilize a Converged NetworkAdapter (CNA) to communicate with an N_Port ID Virtualization (NPIV)Proxy Gateway (NPG) provided by the FCF device in order to provide logincommunication for logging into the FC SAN, with the FCF deviceconverting those login communications and the NPG providing them to theFC switch device in order to log the server device into the FC SAN.After logging server devices into the FC SAN, the FCF device may forwardtraffic from those server devices to the FC switch device. The FC switchdevice may then route the traffic to the FC SAN using Fibre Channelidentifiers (FCIDs) that are included in the traffic and that wereassigned to the node ports (N_Ports) on the server devices and the FCFdevice during fabric login. In conventional systems, all trafficreceived at the FCF device is required to be routed by the FC switchdevice. Thus, when a server device provides traffic to the FCF devicethat is destined for a target device that is also connected to the FCFdevice, the traffic is first forwarded to the FC switch device toperform the routing discussed above that provides that traffic backthrough the FCF device to the target device. This creates a “traffictromboning” effect which can cause a number of issues such asinefficient traffic paths that introduce latency with the traffic,congestion between the FCF device and the FC switch device, and otherundesirable traffic characteristics that would be apparent to one ofskill in the art.

Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved FCF devicerouting system.

SUMMARY

According to one embodiment, an Information Handling System (IHS),includes a plurality of ports; a processing system that is coupled tothe plurality of ports; and a memory system that is coupled to theprocessing system and that includes instructions that, when executed bythe processing system, cause the processing system to provide an N_PortID Virtualization (NPIV) Proxy Gateway (NPG) engine that is configuredto: receive, at a first port of the plurality of ports, first trafficthat originates from a first initiator device and that is addressed to afirst target device; determine, using a first Fibre Channel Forwarder(FCF) device association table that identifies zones provided by a FibreChannel (FC) networking device, that the first target device isassociated with the first initiator device; and route, in response todetermining the first target device is associated with the firstinitiator device, the first traffic through a second port to the firsttarget device without forwarding the first traffic through a third portto the FC networking device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of an informationhandling system.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of a Fibre ChannelForwarder (FCF) device local routing system.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of an end devicein the FCF device local routing system of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of an FCF devicein the FCF device local routing system of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of an FCF devicedatabase in the FCF device of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of a Fibre Channel(FC) networking device in the FCF device local routing system of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of an FCnetworking device database in the FC networking device of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a method forlocally routing FCF traffic.

FIG. 9 is a communication diagram illustrating an embodiment ofgenerating enode association tables that are used by FCF devices in theFCF device routing system of FIG. 2 in the method of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10A is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of informationbeing provided in the FC networking device database of FIG. 7 of the FCnetworking device during the method of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10B is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of informationbeing provided in the FCF device database of FIG. 5 for a first FCFdevice during the method of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10C is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of informationbeing provided in the FCF device database of FIG. 5 for a second FCFdevice during the method of FIG. 8.

FIG. 11A is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the FCF device localrouting during the method of FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 B is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the FCF devicelocal routing during the method of FIG. 8.

FIG. 11C is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the FCF device localrouting during the method of FIG. 8.

FIG. 11D is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the FCF device localrouting during the method of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For purposes of this disclosure, an information handling system mayinclude any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operableto compute, calculate, determine, classify, process, transmit, receive,retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, communicate, manifest,detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information,intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, or otherpurposes. For example, an information handling system may be a personalcomputer (e.g., desktop or laptop), tablet computer, mobile device(e.g., personal digital assistant (PDA) or smart phone), server (e.g.,blade server or rack server), a network storage device, or any othersuitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality,and price. The information handling system may include random accessmemory (RAM), one or more processing resources such as a centralprocessing unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic, ROM, and/orother types of nonvolatile memory. Additional components of theinformation handling system may include one or more disk drives, one ormore network ports for communicating with external devices as well asvarious input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse,touchscreen and/or a video display. The information handling system mayalso include one or more buses operable to transmit communicationsbetween the various hardware components.

In one embodiment, IHS 100, FIG. 1, includes a processor 102, which isconnected to a bus 104. Bus 104 serves as a connection between processor102 and other components of IHS 100. An input device 106 is coupled toprocessor 102 to provide input to processor 102. Examples of inputdevices may include keyboards, touchscreens, pointing devices such asmouses, trackballs, and trackpads, and/or a variety of other inputdevices known in the art. Programs and data are stored on a mass storagedevice 108, which is coupled to processor 102. Examples of mass storagedevices may include hard discs, optical disks, magneto-optical discs,solid-state storage devices, and/or a variety other mass storage devicesknown in the art. IHS 100 further includes a display 110, which iscoupled to processor 102 by a video controller 112. A system memory 114is coupled to processor 102 to provide the processor with fast storageto facilitate execution of computer programs by processor 102. Examplesof system memory may include random access memory (RAM) devices such asdynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), solid state memorydevices, and/or a variety of other memory devices known in the art. Inan embodiment, a chassis 116 houses some or all of the components of IHS100. It should be understood that other buses and intermediate circuitscan be deployed between the components described above and processor 102to facilitate interconnection between the components and the processor102.

Referring now to FIG. 2, an embodiment of a Fibre Channel Forwarder(FCF) device local routing system 200 is illustrated. In the illustratedembodiment, the FCF device local routing system 200 includes one or moreend devices (e.g., an end device 202 a, an end device 202 b, an enddevice 202 c, an end device 202 d, an end device 202 e, an end device202 f, an end device 202 g, and up to an end device 202 h illustrated inFIG. 2), any or all of which may be provided by the IHS 100 discussedabove with reference to FIG. 1 and/or may include some or all of thecomponents of the IHS 100. As described herein, end devices may be alsoreferred to as enodes and each end device may be initiators, targets,and/or both initiators and targets. For example, the end devices 202a-202 h may be one or more servers (e.g., an initiator) in a server rackor server chassis, a Fibre Channel (FC) storage system (e.g., a target),and one of skill in the art in possession of the present disclosure willrecognize that any number of servers or storage systems may be providedin the FCF device local routing system 200 and may operate similarly tothe server devices and storage systems discussed below while remainingwithin the scope of the present disclosure. In the illustratedembodiment, the end devices 202 a-202 c are coupled to a Fibre ChannelForwarder (FCF) device 204 a that may be provided by the IHS 100discussed above with reference to FIG. 1 and/or may include some or allof the components of the IHS 100. For example, the FCF device 204 a maybe provided by a switch or other networking device that is configured toreceive Ethernet communications from the end devices 202 a, 202 b,and/or 202 c, convert those Ethernet communications to Fibre Chanel (FC)communications for forwarding to an FC Storage Area Network (SAN),receive FC communications from the FC SAN, convert those FCcommunications to Ethernet communications for forwarding to the enddevices 202 a, 202 b, and/or 202 c, and/or perform other FCF devicefunctionality know in the art.

In the illustrated embodiment, the FCF device 204 a is coupled to an FCnetworking device 206 that may be provided by the IHS 100 discussedabove with reference to FIG. 1 and/or may include some or all of thecomponents of the IHS 100. For example, the FC networking device 206 maybe provided by a FC switch device that is configured to receive FCcommunications (e.g., initiated by the end device 202 a) from the FCFdevice 204 a, log the end devices 202 a-202 c into an FC SAN,subsequently receive FC communications (e.g., initiated by the enddevices 202 a-202 c) from the FCF device 204 a, transmit those FCcommunications to the FC SAN to allow the end devices 202 a-202 c tocommunicate with the FC SAN, and perform a variety of other FCnetworking device functionality that would be apparent to one of skillin the art in possession of the present disclosure. In the illustratedembodiment, the FC networking device 206 is coupled to an FC storagesystem 208 that may be provided by one or more of the IHSs 100 discussedabove with reference to FIG. 1 and/or may include some or all of thecomponents of the IHS 100. For example, the FC storage system 208 may beprovided by a FC SAN that is configured to receive FC communicationsfrom the end devices 202 a-202 c through the FC networking device 206and the FCF device 204 a, send FC communications to the end devices 202a-202 c through the FC networking device 206 and the FCF device 204 a,and/or perform a variety of other FC storage system functionality thatwould be apparent to one of skill in the art in possession of thepresent disclosure.

In addition, the FCF device 204 a is coupled to an FCF device 204 b thatis “downstream” from the FCF device 204 a (e.g., opposite the FCF device204 a from the FC storage system 208), as well as to the end devices 202d-202 f. Furthermore, the FCF device 204 a is coupled to an FCF device204 c that is downstream from the FCF device 204 a, as well as to theend devices 202 g and 202h. One of skill in the art in possession of thepresent disclosure will recognize that other FCF devices and end devicesmay be coupled to, and located downstream from, the FCF devices 204 a,204 b, and/or 204 c illustrated in FIG. 2 in order to provide a“cascade” of FCF devices from the FCF device 204 a. However, while aspecific FCF device routing system 200 is illustrated and describedbelow, one of skill in the art in possession of the present disclosurewill recognize that the teachings of the present disclosure will bebeneficial for a variety of FC systems and, as such, a wide variety ofmodifications to the number, types, and configuration of devices in theFCF device local routing system 200 will fall within the scope of thepresent disclosure as well.

Referring now to FIG. 3, an embodiment of an end device 300 isillustrated that may be any or all of the end devices 202 a-h discussedabove with reference to FIG. 2. As such, the end device 300 may beprovided by the IHS 100 discussed above with reference to FIG. 1 and/ormay include some or all of the components of the IHS 100, and inspecific examples may provide one or more servers in a server rack orserver chassis and/or a storage device in a storage system rack orstorage system chassis. In the illustrated embodiment, the end device300 includes a chassis 302 that houses the components of the end device300, only some of which are illustrated in FIG. 3. For example, thechassis 302 may house a processing system (not illustrated, but whichmay include the processor 102 discussed above with reference to FIG. 1)and a memory system (not illustrated, but which may include the systemmemory 114 discussed above with reference to FIG. 1) that includesinstructions that, when executed by the processing system, cause theprocessing system to provide an adapter engine 304 that is configured toperform the functions of the adapter engines and end devices discussedbelow.

The chassis 302 may also house a storage system 306 that is coupled tothe adapter engine 304 (e.g., via a coupling between the storage system306 and the processing system) and may be configured to store the datautilized by the adapter engine 304 as discussed below. However, in someembodiments the storage subsystem 306 may be omitted. The chassis 302may also house a communication subsystem 308 that is coupled to theadapter engine 304 (e.g., via a coupling between the communicationsubsystem 308 and the processing system) and that may include a NetworkInterface Controller (NIC), a wireless communication device, one or moreports (e.g., the port 308 a illustrated in FIG. 3), and/or any othercommunication components that would be apparent to one of skill in theart in possession of the present disclosure. Furthermore, in someembodiments, the adapter engine 304, the communication subsystem 308,and/or other components in the end device 300 may provide a ConvergedNetwork Adapter (CNA) that performs the functionality of the adapterengines and/or end devices discussed below. However, in otherembodiments, the adapter engine 304, communication subsystem 308, and/orother components may be utilized to provide other types of adapters(e.g., Host Bus Adapters (HBAs)) while remaining within the scope of thepresent disclosure. While a specific end device 300 has been described,one of skill in the art in possession of the present disclosure willrecognize that the end device 300 may include a variety of othercomponents and/or component configurations that perform conventionalserver device functionality and/or storage system functionally, as wellas the functionality described below, while remaining within the scopeof the present disclosure.

Referring now to FIG. 4, an embodiment of a Fibre Channel Forwarder(FCF) device 400 is illustrated that may provide any or all of the FCFdevices 204a- c discussed above with reference to FIG. 2. As such, theFCF device 400 may be provided by the IHS 100 discussed above withreference to FIG. 1 and/or may include some or all of the components ofthe IHS 100, and in specific examples may be a switch device, a gatewaydevice, or other networking devices that would be apparent to one ofskill in the art in possession of the present disclosure. In theillustrated embodiment, the FCF device 400 includes a chassis 402 thathouses the components of the FCF device 400, only some of which areillustrated in FIG. 4. For example, the chassis 402 may house aprocessing system (not illustrated, but which may include the processor102 discussed above with reference to FIG. 1) and a memory system (notillustrated, but which may include the system memory 114 discussed abovewith reference to FIG. 1) that includes instructions that, when executedby the processing system, cause the processing system to provide aconversion engine 404 that is configured to perform the functions of theconversion engines and FCF devices discussed below. In a specificexample, the conversion engine 404 may include an N_Port IDVirtualization (NPIV) Proxy Gateway (NPG) engine that operates asdiscussed below, although other conversion engines may fall within thescope of the present disclosure as well. In another example, theconversion engine 404 may include a routing engine 405 that isconfigured to perform the functions of the routing engines and FCFdevices discussed below (e.g., the local routing of traffic betweendevices that are coupled to the FCF device without the traffic passingthrough an FC networking device).

The chassis 402 may also house a storage system (not illustrated, butwhich may include the storage device 108 discussed above with referenceto FIG. 1) that is coupled to the conversion engine 404 (e.g., via acoupling between the storage system and the processing system) and thatmay include an FCF device database 406 that is configured to store thedata utilized by the conversion engine 404 and/or routing engine 405 asdiscussed below. The chassis 402 may also house a communicationsubsystem 408 that is coupled to the conversion engine 404 (e.g., via acoupling between the communication subsystem 408 and the processingsystem) and that may include a Network Interface Controller (NIC), aFibre Channel interface, a wireless communication device, ports, and/orother communication components that would be apparent to one of skill inthe art in possession of the present disclosure. For example, in theillustrated embodiment, the communication subsystem 408 includes aplurality of ports (e.g., the ports 408 a, 408 b, 408 c, 408 d, and upto 408 e illustrated in FIG. 4) that may be coupled to an FC networkingdevice, another FCF device, and/or a end device as discussed below.Furthermore, in some embodiments, the conversion engine 404, thecommunication subsystem 408, and/or other components of the FCF device400 may provide an NPG that performs the functionality of the conversionengines and/or FCF devices discussed below. However, as discussed above,the conversion engine 404 may be utilized to provide for other types ofconversions while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure.While a specific FCF device 400 has been described, one of skill in theart in possession of the present disclosure will recognize that the FCFdevice 400 may include a variety of other components and/or componentconfigurations that perform conventional FCF device functionality, aswell as the functionality described below, while remaining within thescope of the present disclosure.

Referring now to FIG. 5, an embodiment of an FCF device database 500 isillustrated. In an embodiment, the FCF device database 500 may be theFCF device database 406 discussed above with reference to FIG. 4. In thespecific example illustrated in FIG. 5, the FCF device database 500includes an FCF device enode association table 502 that may identify thedevices that are connected to the FCF device 400 and that are permittedto communicate with each other based on zoning at the FC networkingdevice 206, as discussed in further detail below. The FCF device enodeassociation table 502 includes FCF device enode association tableentries 502 a, 502 b, 502 c, and up to 502 d. For example, for each FCFdevice enode association table entry 502 a-d, the FCF device enodeassociation table 502 may include an enode device column 504 that isconfigured to include an enode identifier for an enode (e.g., one of theend devices 202 a-202 h), and an enode device column 506 that isconfigured to include an enode identifier for another enode device(e.g., one of the remaining end devices 202 a-202 h). For example, theenode identifiers in the same FCF device enode association table entryindicates that the end devices identified by the enode identifiers areallowed to communicate with each other. In an embodiment, the enodeidentifiers may be provided by Fibre Channel Identifiers (FCIDs). Forexample, an FCID (N_Port ID) may include a 24-bit value that the FCnetworking device 206 assigns to an N_Port or VN_Port on the end deviceas a unique identifier within a local FC network, and that FCID mayinclude an 8-bit domain value, an 8-bit area value, and an 8-bit portvalue. However, one of skill in the art in possession of the presentdisclosure will recognize that other device identifiers for the enddevices 202 a-202 h may be used alternatively to and/or in addition tothe FCID.

Referring now to FIG. 6, an embodiment of a Fibre Channel (FC)networking device 600 is illustrated that may be the FC networkingdevice 206 discussed above with reference to FIG. 2. As such, the FCnetworking device 600 may be provided by the IHS 100 discussed abovewith reference to FIG. 1 and/or may include some or all of thecomponents of the IHS 100, and in specific examples may be an FC switchdevice. In the illustrated embodiment, the FC networking device 600includes a chassis 602 that houses the components of the FC networkingdevice 600, only some of which are illustrated in FIG. 6. For example,the chassis 602 may house a processing system (not illustrated, butwhich may include the processor 102 discussed above with reference toFIG. 1) and a memory system (not illustrated, but which may include thesystem memory 114 discussed above with reference to FIG. 1) thatincludes instructions that, when executed by the processing system,cause the processing system to provide an FC networking device engine604 that is configured to perform the functions of the FC networkingdevice engines and FC networking devices discussed below. The chassis602 may also house a storage system (not illustrated, but which mayinclude the storage device 108 discussed above with reference to FIG. 1)that is coupled to the FC networking device engine 604 (e.g., via acoupling between the storage system and the processing system) and thatmay include an FC networking device database 606 that is configured tostore the data utilized by the FC networking device engine 604 asdiscussed below.

The chassis 602 may also house a communication subsystem 608 that iscoupled to the FC networking device engine 604 (e.g., via a couplingbetween the communication subsystem 608 and the processing system) andthat may include a Network Interface Controller (NIC), a wirelesscommunication device, a Fibre Channel interface, ports, and/or othercommunication components that would be apparent to one of skill in theart in possession of the present disclosure. For example, in theillustrated embodiment, the communication subsystem 608 includes aplurality of ports 608 a, 608 b, and up to 608 c, each of which may becoupled to an FCF device as well as an FC SAN (e.g., the FC storagesystem 208) as discussed herein. While a specific FC networking device600 has been described, one of skill in the art in possession of thepresent disclosure will recognize that the FC networking device 600 mayinclude a variety of other components and/or component configurationsthat perform conventional FC networking device functionality, as well asthe functionality described below, while remaining within the scope ofthe present disclosure.

Referring now to FIG. 7, an embodiment of an FC networking devicedatabase 700 is illustrated. In an embodiment, the FC networking devicedatabase 700 may be the FC networking device database 606 discussedabove with reference to FIG. 6. In the illustrated example, the FCnetworking device database 700 includes an active zone table 702 havingactive zone table entries 702 a, 702 b, 702 c, and up to 702 d. Forexample, for each active zone table entry 702 a-702 d, the active zonetable 702 may include a zone column 704, an associated device identifiercolumn 706, and/or other information columns that would be apparent toone of skill in the art in possession of the present disclosure. Asdiscussed below, the active zone table 702 may provide mappings of azone to device identifiers (e.g., FCIDs) that are associated with thatzone, and device identifiers for end devices associated with a zoneindicate which end devices can communicate with each other. While aspecific example of the FC networking device database 700 isillustrated, one of skill in the art in possession of the presentdisclosure will recognize that the FC networking device database 700and/or the active zone table 702 may include and/or store otherinformation to enable the functionality discussed below while remainingwithin the scope of the present disclosure.

Referring now to FIG. 8, an embodiment of a method 800 for providing FCFdevice local routing is illustrated. As discussed above, conventionalFCF devices forward all traffic received from end devices that areinitiator devices to an FC switch device to allow the FC switch deviceto route the traffic from an initiator device to an end device that is atarget device. However, forwarding all traffic to an FC switch deviceintroduces a number of inefficiencies that may result in, for example,“traffic tromboning”. For example, if the initiator device and thetarget device are both directly connected to the FCF device, traffictromboning may occur when the traffic that is received at the FCF devicefrom the initiator device is forwarded to the FC switch device, the FCswitch device processes the traffic, and the FC switch device sends thetraffic back to the FCF device for forwarding to the target device. Thesystems and methods of the present disclosure provide an FCF device thatlocally routes traffic that is received from an initiator device to atarget device that is connected to the FCF device or a downstream FCFdevice without the traffic being provided to the FC switch device.Furthermore, the systems of the present disclosure may includedownstream FCF devices that cascade from the FCF device connected to theFC switch device and that are not configured to locally route trafficreceived from initiator devices to target devices that are logged in tothe FC fabric through that downstream FCF device, and the FCF device ofthe present disclosure that is connected to the FC switch device mayprovide local traffic routing (e.g., without the need to forward thattraffic to the FC switch device) for those downstream FCF devices aswell. Using the FCF devices to route the traffic reduces the load at theFC switch device, decreases latency of the traffic being sent,alleviates congestion on the link between the FC switch device and theFCF device, and provides other benefit that would be apparent to one ofskill in the art in possession of the present disclosure.

The method 800 begins at block 802 where an FCF device enode associationtable is generated. In an embodiment of block 802 and with reference toa FCF device local routing system communication diagram 900 illustratedin FIG. 9, the embodiment of the FC networking device database 700illustrated in FIG. 10A, an FCF device database 1000a illustrated inFIG. 10B, and an FCF device database 1000b illustrated in FIG. 100, therouting engine 405 in the FCF device 400 may generate one or more enodeassociation tables for locally routing traffic between initiator devicesand target devices without that traffic being forwarded to the FCnetworking device 206. For example, and with reference to the FCF devicelocal routing system communication diagram 900 illustrated in FIG. 9 andthe FCF device local routing system 200 illustrated in FIG. 2, at step902 the FCF device 204 a may provide a Fabric Login (FLOGI) to the FCnetworking device 206 through a physical node port (PN_port) (e.g., port408 a). As would be appreciated by one of skill in the art in possessionof the present disclosure, the common service parameters in a FLOGI mayinclude one or more unused bits, and in some examples the routing engine405 may be configured to enable an unused bit in the FLOGI thatindicates to the FC networking device 206 that an FCF local routingfeature (e.g., an optimal path selection feature) is enabled at the FCFdevice 204 a. At step 904, the FC networking device 206 may respond tothe FLOGI with a FLOGI accept (ACC) in order to complete the login ofthe FCF device 204 a to the FC networking device 206.

At step 906, the FCF device 204 a may provide an advertisement (e.g., aFCoE Initialization Protocol (FIP) discovery advertisement) todownstream FCF devices (e.g., the FCF devices 204 b and/or 204c), enddevices 202 a-202 c, and/or other enodes so that the end devices 202a-202 c and/or the FCF device 204 b and/or 204 c may discover thepresence of the FCF device 204 a and provide login requests to log in tothe FC fabric. As such, at step 908, the FCF device 204 b may provide aFLOGI to the FCF device 204 a in response to the advertisement. In theexamples described herein, the FCF device 204 b may be enabled toprovide the FCF device local routing feature of the present disclosurethat provides for the routing of traffic between initiator devices andtarget devices without forwarding the traffic toward the FC networkingdevice 206 and, as such, the routing engine 405 in the FCF device204b/400 may be configured to enable the unused bit of the FLOGI thatindicates to the FC networking device 206 and/or the FCF device 204 athat FCF local routing feature is enabled at the FCF device 204 b. Atstep 910, the end devices 202 a-202 c that are coupled to the FCF device204 a may each provide a FLOGI in order to each log in to the FCF device204 a in response to the advertisement received at step 906. At step912, the FCF device 204 a may provide an FDISC to the FC networkingdevice 206 for each of the FLOGIs received from the end devices 202a-202 c and the FCF device 204 b. The FC networking device 206 may thenlog in each of the end devices 202 a-202 c and the FCF device 204 b, andprovide an FDISC ACC to the FCF device 204 a at step 914. At step 916,the FCF device 204 a may provide corresponding FLOGI ACCs to the FCFdevice 204 b and the end devices 202 a-202 c.

In addition, at step 918 the FCF device 204 c may provide a FLOGI to theFCF device 204 a in response to the advertisement received at step 906.In the example below, the FCF device local routing feature provided byFCF device 204 c may be disabled, or the FCF device 204 c may be aconventional FCF device that is not configured with the FCF device localrouting functionality of the present disclosure. As such, in theillustrated embodiment the routing engine 405 for the FCF device 204 cdoes not enable the unused bit in the FLOGI that, as discussed above,may be utilized to indicate to the FC networking device 206 and/or theFCF device 204a that FCF local routing feature is enabled at the FCFdevice 204 c. At step 920, the FCF device 204 a may provide an FDISC tothe FC networking device 206 for the FLOGI received from the FCF device204 c. The FC networking device 206 may then log in the FCF device 204 cand, at step 922, provide an FDISC ACC to the FCF device 204 a. inresponse, at step 924 the FCF device 204 a may provide a FLOGI ACC tothe FCF device 204 c. While not illustrated, the end devices 202 d-f maylog in to the FC networking device 206 through the FCF device 204 b andFCF device 204 a, and the end devices 202 g-202 h may log in to the FCnetworking device 206 through the FCF device 204 c and the FCF device204 a, using conventional FLOGIs and login techniques that would beapparent to one of skill in the art in possession of the presentdisclosure.

Following the logging in of enodes (e.g., the end devices 202 a-202 hand/or ports on the end devices 202 a-202 h) to the FC networking device206, the FC networking device 206 may determine an enode associationlist for the end devices 202 a-202 h that are logged in through the FCFdevice 204 a and that are included in the same zones using, for example,the active zone table 702 in the FC networking device database 700. Atstep 926, the FC networking device 206 may provide the enode associationlist to the FCF device 204 a. In an embodiment, the FC networking device206 may provide an Extended Link Service (ELS) message that includes theenode association list that identifies end devices that can communicatewith each other. For example, the FC networking device 206 may providethe ELS message periodically as end devices log in to the FC networkingdevice 206, or when all of the end devices 202 a-202 h and the FCFdevices 204a-204 c have logged in to the FC networking device 206. Withreference to the active zone table entries 702 a-702 d in the activezone table 702 in the example of the FC networking device database 700illustrated in FIG. 10A, the active zone table entry 702 a identifies“Zone A” and “202 a” and “202 b” to indicate that the end device 202 aand the end device 202 b in Zone A are allowed to communicate with eachother, which may have been provided as a first enode association in theenode association list generated by the FC networking device 206.Similarly, the active zone table entry 702 b identifies “Zone B” and“202 d” and “202 c” to indicate that the end device 202 d and the enddevice 202 c in Zone B are allowed to communicate with each other, whichmay have been provided as a second enode association in the enodeassociation list generated by the FC networking device 206; the activezone table entry 702 c identifies “Zone C” and “202 e” and “202 f” toindicate that the end device 202 e and the end device 202 f in Zone Care allowed to communicate with each other, which may have been providedas a third enode association in the enode association list generated bythe FC networking device 206; and the active zone table entry 702 didentifies “Zone D” and “202 g” and “202 h” to indicate that the enddevice 202 g and the end device 202 h are allowed to communicate witheach other, which may have been provided as a fourth enode associationin the enode association list generated by the FC networking device 206.

The FCF device 204 a may receive the ELS message including the enodeassociation list and, in response, the FCF device 204 a may provide anELS ACC to the FC networking device 206 at step 928. The FCF device 204a may process the enode associations in the enode association list andgenerate an FCF device enode association table 502 based on the enodeassociations in the enode association list. In various embodiments, theFCF device 204 a may create an FCF device enode association table entryfor an enode association in the enode association list if end devicesidentified in an enode association are directly logged in to the FCFdevice 204 a, or if end devices identified in an enode association arelogged in to a downstream FCF device that is downstream from the FCFdevice 204 a and that downstream FCF device either does not support theFCF device local routing feature of the present disclosure or the FCFdevice local routing feature in that downstream FCF device is disabled.If an enode association in the enode association list includes enddevices that are all directly logged in to a downstream FCF device thatis downstream from the FCF device 204 a, and the FCF device 204 adetected that the FCF device local routing feature is enabled in thatdownstream FCF device from the FLOGI provided from that downstream FCFdevice, then the FCF device 204a may generate a second enode associationlist that includes the enode associations for enodes that are directlylogged in to that downstream FCF device, and provide that second enodeassociation list downstream to the downstream FCF device.

For example, and with reference to the FCF device database 1000aillustrated in FIG. 10B (which may be the FCF device database 500 ofFIG. 5), the routing engine 405 in the FCF device 204ahas used a firstenode association in the enode association list to create an FCF deviceenode association table entry 1002 a that includes an enode identifier“202 a” for the end device 202 a in the enode column 1004, and an enodeidentifier “202 b” for the end device 202 b in the enode column 1006(e.g., because both the end device 202 a and the end device 202 b arelogged in to the FC fabric through the FCF device 204a). Similarly, therouting engine 405 for the FCF device 204 a has used a second enodeassociation in the enode association list to create an FCF device enodeassociation table entry 1002 b that includes an enode identifier “202 d”for the end device 202 d in the enode column 1004, and an enodeidentifier “202 c” for the end device 202 c in the enode column 1006(e.g., because the end device 202 c is logged in to the FCF device 204a). Similarly, the routing engine 405 for the FCF device 204 a has useda fourth enode association in the enode association list to create anFCF device enode association table entry 1002 c that includes an enodeidentifier “202 g” for the end device 202 g in the enode column 1004,and an enode identifier “202 h” for the end device 202 h in the enodecolumn 1006 (e.g., because the FCF device 204 a did not detect that theFCF device 204 c is enabled for FCF device local routing via the FLOGIreceived from FCF device 204 c at step 918 of FIG. 9).

However, when processing a third enode association that is included inthe enode association list and that associates the end device 202 e andthe end device 202 f, the routing engine 405 for the FCF device 204 amay determine that the end device 202 e and the end device 202 f arelogged in to the FC networking device 206 through the FCF device 204 b,and that the FCF device 204 b is enabled with the FCF device localrouting feature (as identified in the FLOGI received at step 908 of FIG.9). As such, the FCF device 204 a may generate a second enodeassociation list that includes the third enode association thatassociates the end device 202 e and the end device 202 f and, at step930, provide the second enode association list to the FCF device 204 bin an ELS message. The FCF device 204 b may respond to the ELS messagein step 930 with an ELS ACC in step 932. Furthermore, with reference tothe example of the FCF device database 1000b illustrated in FIG. 10c(which may be the FCF device database 500 of FIG. 5), the routing engine405 for the FCF device 204 b has used the third enode association in thesecond enode association list to create an FCF device enode associationtable entry 1008 a that includes an enode identifier “202 e” for the enddevice 202 e in the enode column 1010, and an enode identifier “202 f”for the end device 202 f in the enode column 1012 (e.g., because boththe end device 202 e and the end device 202 f are logged in to the FCfabric through the FCF device 204 b).

The method 800 then proceeds to block 804 where traffic is received froman initiator device at a FCF device port that is coupled to theinitiator device. In an embodiment of block 804, the initiator devicemay be provided by any of the end devices 202 a-202 c that are directlyconnected to the FCF device 204 a, and may provide traffic to that FCFdevice 204 a that is addressed to a target device that may be providedby any of the devices in the FC SAN (e.g., end devices 202 a-202 h andthe FC storage system 208). However, in other embodiments the initiatordevice may a device that is connected to the FCF device 204 a through anintermediary device. For example, the initiator device may be any of theend devices 202 d-202 f that are directly connected to the FCF device204 b that is in turn directly connected to the FCF device 204 a, or anyof the end devices 202 g-202 h that are directly connected to the FCFdevice 204 c that is in turn directly connected to the FCF device 204 a.As such, the FCF device port at which the traffic is received may be anFCF device port on any of the FCF devices 204a-204 c. In variousembodiments, the traffic may include an initiator device identifier(e.g., an FCID of the initiator device) and a target device identifier(e.g., an FCID of the target device).

For example, and with reference to the FCF device local routing diagram1100 a illustrated in FIG. 11A, the initiator device may be the enddevice 202 a, and the end device 202 a may provide traffic to the FCFdevice 204 a. As illustrated by a traffic route 1102 a, the targetdevice for the traffic provided by the end device 202 a may be the enddevice 202 b. In the example provided by the FCF device local routingdiagram 1100 b illustrated in FIG. 11B, the initiator device may be theend device 202 d, and the end device 202 d may provide traffic to theFCF device 204 b. As illustrated by a traffic route 1102 b, the targetdevice for the traffic provided by the end device 202 d may be the enddevice 202 c. In the example provided by the FCF device local routingdiagram 1100c illustrated in FIG. 11C, the initiator device may be theend device 202 e, and the end device 202 e may provide traffic to theFCF device 204 b. As illustrated by a traffic route 1102 c, the targetdevice for the traffic provided by the end device 202 e may be the enddevice 202 f. In the example provided by the FCF routing diagram 1100 dillustrated in FIG. 11 D, the initiator device may be the end device 202g, and the end device 202 g may provide traffic to the FCF device 204 c.As illustrated by a traffic route 1102 d, the target device for thetraffic provided by the end device 202 g may be the end device 202 h.

The method 800 then proceeds to decision block 806 where it isdetermined whether the traffic identifies a target device and aninitiator device that are associated in the FCF device enode associationtable. In an embodiment of decision block 806 and with reference to theFCF device database 1000a illustrated in FIG. 10B, if the FCF device 204a receives the traffic, the routing engine 405 for the FCF device 204 amay use the FCF device enode association table 1002 to determine whetherthe traffic being received at an F_Port (e.g., any of the ports 408b-408 e) on the FCF device 204 a includes an enode identifier for theinitiator device and an enode identifier for the target deviceassociated in an FCF device enode association table entry in the FCFdevice enode association table 1002. For example, the routing engine 405may determine whether the traffic includes both an enode identifier of“202 a” (e.g., an FCID of the end device 202 a) and an enode identifier“202 b” (e.g., an FCID of the end device 202 b); both an enodeidentifier of “202 d” (e.g., an FCID of the end device 202 d) and anenode identifier “202 c” (e.g., an FCID of the end device 202 c); orboth an enode identifier of “202 g” (e.g., an FCID of the end device 202g) and an enode identifier “202 h” (e.g., an FCID of the end device 202h).

In another embodiment of decision block 806 and with reference to theFCF device database 1000 b of FIG. 100, if the FCF device 204 b receivesthe traffic, the routing engine 405 of the FCF device 204 b may use theFCF device enode association table 1008 to determine whether the trafficbeing received at an F_Port (e.g., any of the ports 408 b-408 e) on theFCF device 204 b includes an enode identifier for the initiator deviceand an enode identifier for the target device that are associated in anFCF device enode association table entry in the FCF device enodeassociation table 1008. For example, the routing engine 405 maydetermine whether the traffic includes both an enode identifier of “202e” (e.g., an FCID of the end device 202 e) and an enode identifier “202f” (e.g., an FCID of the end device 202 f).

If, at decision block 806, it is determined that the enode identifierfor the initiator device and the enode identifier for the target deviceidentifier included in the traffic corresponds with the same enodeidentifier for the initiator device and the same enode identifier forthe target device associated in an FCF device enode association tableentry in the FCF device enode association table, then the method 800proceeds to block 808 where the traffic is routed to the target deviceassociated with the target device identifier without forwarding thetraffic upstream to the FC networking device. In an embodiment of block808, the routing engine 405 may route the traffic received at an F_Porton the FCF device that is connected to the initiator device identifiedin the traffic, to an F_Port on the FCF device that is directly orindirectly connected to the target device. Thus, the routing engine 405may provide the traffic to the target device without the traffic firstbeing forwarded toward the FC networking device 206, as is performed byconventional FCF devices.

If, at decision block 806, it is determined that the enode identifierfor the initiator device and the enode identifier for the target deviceidentifier included in the traffic are not associated in an FCF deviceenode association table entry provided in the FCF device enodeassociation table, then the method 800 proceeds to block 810 where aforwarding action is performed on the traffic. In an embodiment of block810, the routing engine 405 may perform a forwarding action on thetraffic in response to determining that the enode identifier for theinitiator device and the enode identifier for the target deviceidentifier that are included in the traffic are not associated in anyFCF device enode association table entries provided in the FCF deviceenode association table 502 in the FCF device database 500. In variousembodiments, the forwarding action may include the routing engine 405forwarding the traffic to the FC networking device 206 or anotherupstream FCF device. For example, the FCF device 204 a may forwardtraffic to the FC networking device 206, while the FCF device 204 b andthe FCF device 204 c may forward the traffic to the FCF device 204 a.

Referring now to FIGS. 11A, 11B, 11C, and 11D, the FCF device localrouting diagrams 1100 a, 1100 b, 1100 c, and 1100 d, respectively,illustrate various scenarios that provide FCF device local routing inthe FCF device local routing system 200 according to blocks 804-810 ofthe method 800. For example and with reference to the FCF devicedatabase 1000 a illustrated in FIG. 10B and the FCF device local routingdiagram 1100 a illustrated in FIG. 11A, the FCF device 204 a may receivetraffic at port 408 b from port 308 a of the end device 202 a, anddetermine that the enode identifier “202 a” for the end device 202 a andthe enode identifier “202 b” for the end device 202 b that are includedin the traffic correspond to (e.g., are associated in) the FCF deviceenode association table entry 1002 a that is provided in the FCF deviceenode association table 1002. The routing engine 405 may then route thetraffic to the port 408 c on the FCF device 204 a, and provide thattraffic to the port 308 b of the end device 202 b, which may be assignedthe enode identifier (e.g., an FCID assigned by the FC networking deviceto port 308 b) included in the traffic. Thus, the FCF device 204 a doesnot forward the traffic through the port 408 a to the port 608 a on theFC networking device 206 for routing back through the FCF device 204 a,as would be performed in conventional FCF devices and FCF routingsystems.

In another example and with reference to the FCF device database 1000aillustrated in FIG. 10B, the FCF device database 1000 b illustrated inFIG. 100, and the FCF device local routing diagram 1100b illustrated inFIG. 11B, the FCF device 204 b may receive traffic at port 408 a fromport 308 a on the end device 202 d, and determine that the enodeidentifier “202 d” for the end device 202 a and the enode identifier“202 c” for the end device 202 c included in the traffic are notassociated in any FCF device enode association table entry provided inthe FCF device enode association table 1008 in the FCF device 204 b. Assuch, the FCF device 204 b may perform conventional traffic routing byproviding the traffic upstream toward the FC networking device 206through the port 408 b on the FCF device 204 b, which is received by theport 408 b on the FCF device 204 a. The FCF device 204 a may determinethat the enode identifier “202 d” for the end device 202 a and thetarget device identifier “202 c” for the end device 202 c included inthe traffic correspond to (e.g., are associated in) the FCF device enodeassociation table entry 1002 b that is provided in the FCF device enodeassociation table 1002 in the FCF device 204 a. The routing engine 405for the FCF device 204 a may then route the traffic to the port 408 c onthe FCF device 204 a, and provide that traffic to the port 308 b on theend device 202 c, which may be assigned the enode identifier (e.g., anFCID assigned by the FC networking device to port 308 b on the enddevice 202 c) included in the traffic. Thus, the FCF device 204 a doesnot forward the traffic through the port 408 a to the port 608 a on theFC networking device 206 for routing back through the FCF device 204 a,as would be performed in conventional FCF devices and FCF routingsystems.

In yet another example and with reference to the FCF device database1000b illustrated in FIG. 100 and the FCF device local routing diagram1100c illustrated in FIG. 11C, the FCF device 204 b may receive trafficat the port 408 a from the port 308 a on the end device 202 e, anddetermine that the enode identifier “202 e” for the end device 202 e andthe enode identifier “202 f” for the end device 202 f included in thetraffic correspond to (e.g., are associated in) the FCF device enodeassociation table entry 1008 a that is provided in the FCF device enodeassociation table 1008. The routing engine 405 may then route thetraffic to the port 408 b on the FCF device 204 b, and provide thattraffic to the port 308 b on the end device 202 f, which may be assignedthe target device identifier (e.g., an FCID assigned by the FCnetworking device to port 308 b) included in the traffic. Thus, the FCFdevice 204 b does not forward the traffic through its port 408 c to theport 408 c on the FCF device 204 a for forwarding via the port 408 a onthe FCF device 204 a to the port 608 a on the FC networking device 206,such that the FC networking device 206 routes the traffic back throughthe FCF device 204 a and the FCF device 204 b to the port 308 b on theend device 202 f, as would be performed in conventional FCF devices andFCF routing systems.

In another example and with reference to the FCF device database 1000aillustrated FIG. 10B and the FCF routing diagram 1100 d illustrated inFIG. 11D, the FCF device 204 c may receive traffic at the port 408 afrom the port 308 a on the end device 202 g. Because the FCF device 204c is a conventional FCF device (or the FCF device local routing featureis not enabled in the FCF device 204 c) there is no enode associationtable in the FCF device database 406 in the FCF device 204 c, and thusno determination is made that the enode identifier “202 g” for the enddevice 202 g and the enode identifier “202 h” for the end device 202 hincluded in the traffic correspond to (as associated in) an FCF deviceenode association table entry. As such, the FCF device 204 c may performconventional traffic routing by providing the traffic upstream towardthe FC networking device 206 via the port 408 b on the FCF device 204 b,which is received by the port 408 b on the FCF device 204 a. The FCFdevice 204 a may then determine that the enode identifier “202 g” forthe end device 202 g and the enode identifier “202 h” for the end device202 h included in the traffic correspond to (e.g., are associated in)the FCF device enode association table entry 1002 c that is provided inthe FCF device enode association table 1002 in the FCF device 204 a. Therouting engine 405 for the FCF device 204 a may then route the trafficto the port 408 b on the FCF device 204 a, and provide that traffic tothe port 408 b on the FCF device 204d. The FCF device 204 c may thenforward the traffic through the port 408 c on the FCF device 204 c tothe port 308 b on the end device 202 h, which may be assigned the enodeidentifier (e.g., an FCID assigned by the FC networking device to theport 308 b on the end device 202 h) included in the traffic. Thus, while“traffic tromboning” occurs between the port 408 b on FCF device 204 cand the port 408 b on the FCF device 204 a, the FCF device 204 a doesnot forward the traffic through its port 408 a to the port 608 a on theFC networking device 206 for routing back through the FCF device 204 aas would be performed in conventional FCF devices and FCF routingsystems, which relieves congestion at the link between the port 408 a onthe FCF device 204 a and the port 608 a on the FC networking device 206,as well as decreases latency as the traffic is not forwarded completelyupstream before being routed to the target device.

In an embodiment, if the enode identifier for the initiator device orthe enode identifier for the target device identifier included in thetraffic is not associated with any FCF device enode association tableentry in any enode association table, or the target device is a deviceconnected to the FC networking device 206 (e.g., the FC storage system208) The routing engine 405 for the FCF device 204 a may forward thetraffic to the port 408 a on the FCF device 204 a, and provide thattraffic to the port 608 a on the FC networking device 206 for routing(or dropping) the traffic according to conventional techniques. Forexample, the FC networking device engine 604 may route the traffic to aport 1104 on the FC storage system 208, may drop the traffic if theinitiator device and the target device cannot communicate with eachother according to the active zone table 702, or may route the trafficback to the FCF device 204 a for further routing if the target deviceidentified in the traffic is downstream from the FC networking device206 but not associated with an initiator device in an enode associationtable.

Thus, systems and methods have been described that provide for localrouting of FCF device traffic by an FCF device that receives trafficaddressed to a device directly connected to that FCF device such thatthat traffic is not forwarded to an FC networking device for routing. Ifthe FCF device cannot locally route the traffic, the FCF device mayforward the traffic toward the FCF networking device, and anintermediary FCF device may be able to locally route the traffic withoutproviding the traffic to the FC networking device. Each FCF device in acascade from FCF devices may reference FCF device enode associationstables that identify associations of initiator devices and targetdevices that are allowed to communicate with each other according tozoning provided by the FC networking device. As such, the systems andmethods eliminate traffic tromboning between an FCF device and FCnetworking device, which occurs in conventional FC SANs. Thus, thesystems and methods of the present disclosure reduce traffic latency,free up bandwidth on the links between the FCF device and the FCnetworking device as well as links between FCF devices, relievecongestion on those links, and reduce processing loads on the FCF deviceand the FC networking device.

Although illustrative embodiments have been shown and described, a widerange of modification, change and substitution is contemplated in theforegoing disclosure and in some instances, some features of theembodiments may be employed without a corresponding use of otherfeatures. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims beconstrued broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of theembodiments disclosed herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A Fibre Channel Forwarder (FCF) routing system,comprising: a Fibre Channel (FC) networking device; a first initiatordevice; a first target device; and a first FCF device that is coupledto: the FC networking device through a first FCF device port on thefirst FCF device; the first initiator device through a second FCF deviceport on the first FCF device; and the first target device through athird FCF device port on the first FCF device, wherein the first FCFdevice is configured to: receive, at the second FCF device port, firsttraffic that originates from the first initiator device and that isaddressed to the first target device; determine, using a first FCFdevice association table that identifies zones provided by the FCnetworking device, that the first target device is associated with thefirst initiator device; and route, in response to determining the firsttarget device is associated with the first initiator device, the firsttraffic through the third FCF device port to the first target devicewithout forwarding the first traffic through the first FCF device portto the FC networking device.
 2. The FCF routing system of claim 1,wherein the first FCF device is configured to: provide, through thefirst FCF device port to the FC networking device, a first fabric login(FLOGI) that includes an indicator that an FCF device local routingfeature is enabled; receive, at the first FCF device port, an enodeassociation list, wherein the enode association list is generated by theFC networking device in response to receiving the first FLOGI with theindicator, and wherein the first FCF device association list includesassociations of initiator devices and target devices that are logged into the FC networking device through the first FCF device, and whereinthe associations of the initiator devices and the target devices arebased on the zones provided by the FC networking device; and generate anenode association table that includes the associations of initiatordevices and target devices provided in the enode association list. 3.The FCF routing system of claim 1, further comprising: a secondinitiator device; a second target device; and a second FCF device thatis coupled to: the FC networking device via a fourth FCF device port onthe first FCF device; the second initiator device through a fifth FCFdevice port on the second FCF device; and the second target devicethrough a sixth FCF device port on the second FCF device, wherein thefirst FCF device is configured to: receive, at the fourth FCF port fromthe second FCF device, second traffic that originates from the secondinitiator device and that is addressed to the first target device;determine, using the first FCF device association table, that the firsttarget device is associated with the second initiator device; and route,in response to determining the first target device is associated withthe second initiator device, the second traffic through the third FCFdevice port to the first target device without forwarding the firsttraffic through the first FCF device port to the FC networking device.4. The FCF routing system of claim 3, wherein the first FCF device isconfigured to: receive, at the fourth FCF device port from the secondFCF device, third traffic that originates from the second initiatordevice and that is addressed to the second target device; determine,using the first FCF device association table, that the second targetdevice identified in the third traffic is associated with the secondinitiator device; and route, in response to determining the secondtarget device is associated with the second initiator device, the thirdtraffic through the fourth FCF device port to the second FCF device,wherein the third traffic is forwarded to the second target devicethrough the sixth FCF device port by the second FCF device withoutforwarding the first traffic through the first FCF device port to the FCnetworking device.
 5. The FCF routing system of claim 4, wherein thesecond FCF device does not include an FCF device association table. 6.The FCF routing system of claim 3, wherein the second FCF device isconfigured to: receive, at the fifth FCF device port, third traffic thatoriginates from the second initiator device and that is addressed to thesecond target device; determine, using a second FCF device associationtable that is based on the zones provided by the FC networking device,that there is an association between the second initiator device and thesecond target device; and route, in response to determining the secondtarget device is associated with the second initiator device, the thirdtraffic through the sixth FCF device port to the second target devicewithout forwarding the third traffic to the fourth FCF device port onthe first FCF device.
 7. The FCF routing system of claim 3, wherein thefirst FCF device is configured to: provide, through the first FCF deviceport to the FC networking device, a first fabric login (FLOGI) thatincludes a local routing instruction; receive, at the first FCF deviceport, a first enode association list, wherein the first enodeassociation list is generated by the FC networking device in response toreceiving the first FLOGI with the local routing instruction, andwherein the first enode device association list includes associations ofinitiator devices and target devices that are logged in to the FCnetworking device through the first FCF device, and wherein theassociations of the initiator devices and the target devices are basedon the zones provided by the FC networking device; generate the firstFCF device association table that includes the associations of initiatordevices and target devices provided in the first enode association list;receive, at the fourth FCF device port from the second FCF device, asecond FLOGI that includes the local routing instruction; generate, inresponse to receiving the second FLOGI with the local routinginstruction, a second enode association list that is based on the firstenode association list, wherein the second enode association listassociates initiator devices and target devices that are logged in tothe FC networking device through the second FCF device; and provide,through the fourth FCF device port to the second FCF device, the secondenode association list that causes the second FCF device to generate asecond FCF device association table.
 8. The FCF routing system of claim1, further comprising: a second initiator device; a second targetdevice; and a second FCF device that is located between the FCnetworking device and the first FCF device such that the second FCFdevice is coupled to: the first FCF device port on the first FCF device:the FC networking device via a fourth FCF device port on the second FCFdevice; the second initiator device through a fifth FCF device port onthe second FCF device; and the second target device through a sixth FCFdevice port on the second FCF device, wherein the first FCF device isconfigured to: receive, at the second FCF device port, second trafficthat originates from the first initiator device and that is addressed tothe second target device; determine, using the first FCF deviceassociation table that identifies predefined zones provided by the FCnetworking device, that there is no association between the firstinitiator device and the second target device; and forward, in responseto determining the second target device is not associated with the firstinitiator device, the second traffic through the first FCF device porttoward the FC networking device.
 9. An Information Handling System(IHS), comprising: a plurality of ports; a processing system that iscoupled to the plurality of ports; and a memory system that is coupledto the processing system and that includes instructions that, whenexecuted by the processing system, cause the processing system toprovide an N_Port ID Virtualization (NPIV) Proxy Gateway (NPG) enginethat is configured to: receive, at a first port of the plurality ofports, first traffic that originates from a first initiator device andthat is addressed to a first target device; determine, using a firstFibre Channel Forwarder (FCF) device association table that identifieszones provided by a Fibre Channel (FC) networking device, that the firsttarget device is associated with the first initiator device; and route,in response to determining the first target device is associated withthe first initiator device, the first traffic through a second port tothe first target device without forwarding the first traffic through athird port to the FC networking device.
 10. The IHS of claim 9, whereinthe NPG engine is configured to: provide, through the third port to theFC networking device, a first fabric login (FLOGI) that includes a localrouting instruction; receive, at the third port, a first enodeassociation list, wherein the first enode association list is generatedby the FC networking device in response to receiving the first FLOGIwith the local routing instruction, and wherein the first enodeassociation list includes associations of initiator devices and targetdevices that are logged in to the FC networking device through the firstFCF device, and wherein the associations of the initiator devices andthe target devices are based on the zones provided by the FC networkingdevice; and generate the first FCF device association table thatincludes the associations of initiator devices and target devicesprovided in the first enode association list.
 11. The IHS of claim 10,wherein the NPG engine is configured to: receive, at a fourth port froma second FCF device, a second FLOGI that includes the local routinginstruction; generate, in response to receiving the second FLOGI withthe local routing instruction, a second enode association list that isbased on the first enode association list, wherein the second enodeassociation list associates initiator devices and target devices thatare logged in to the FC networking device through the second FCF device;and provide, through the fourth port to the second FCF device, thesecond enode association list that cause the second FCF device togenerate a second FCF device association table.
 12. The IHS of claim 9,wherein the NPG engine is configured to: receive, at a fourth port froma second FCF device, second traffic that originates from a secondinitiator device and that is addressed to the first target device;determine, using the first FCF device association table, that the firsttarget device is associated with the second initiator device; and route,in response to determining the first target device is associated withthe second initiator device, the second traffic through the second portto the first target device without forwarding the first traffic throughthe third port to the FC networking device.
 13. The IHS of claim 9,wherein the NPG engine is configured to: receive, at a fourth port froma second FCF device, second traffic that originates from a secondinitiator device and that is addressed to a second target device that iscoupled to the second FCF device; determine, using the first FCF deviceassociation table, that the second target device identified in thesecond traffic is associated with the second initiator device; androute, in response to determining the second target device is associatedwith the second initiator device, the second traffic through the fourthport to the second FCF device, wherein the second traffic is forwardedto the second target device by the second FCF device without forwardingthe first traffic through the third port to the FC networking device.14. The IHS of claim 9, wherein the NPG engine is configured to:receive, at the first port, second traffic that originates from thefirst initiator device and that is addressed to a second target device;determine, using the first FCF device association table that identifiespredefined zones provided by the FC networking device, that there is noassociation between the first initiator device and the second targetdevice; and forward, in response to determining the second target deviceis not associated with the first initiator device, the second trafficthrough the third port toward the FC networking device.
 15. A method ofFibre Channel Forwarder (FCF) device local routing, comprising:receiving, by a first Fibre Channel Forwarder (FCF) device, firsttraffic that originates from a first initiator device that is connectedto a first FCF device port on the first FCF device, and that isaddressed to a first target device that is connected to a second FCFdevice port on the first FCF device; determining, by the first FCFdevice and using a first FCF device association table that identifieszones provided by a Fibre Channel (FC) networking device that isconnected to a third FCF device port one the first FCF device, that thefirst target device is associated with the first initiator device; androuting, by the first FCF device in response to determining the firsttarget device is associated with the first initiator device, the firsttraffic through the second FCF device port to the first target devicewithout forwarding the first traffic through the third FCF device portto the FC networking device.
 16. The method of claim 15, furthercomprising: providing, by the first FCF device through the third FCFdevice port to the FC networking device, a first fabric login (FLOGI)that includes a local routing instruction; receiving, by the first FCFdevice at the third FCF device port, a first enode association list,wherein the first enode association list is generated by the FCnetworking device in response to receiving the first FLOGI with thelocal routing instruction, and wherein the first enode association listincludes associations of initiator devices and target devices that arelogged in to the FC networking device through the first FCF device, andwherein the associations of the initiator devices and the target devicesare based on the zones provided by the FC networking device; andgenerating, by the first FCF device, the first FCF device associationtable that includes the associations of initiator devices and targetdevices provided in the first enode association list.
 17. The method ofclaim 16, further comprising: receiving, by the first FCF device at afourth FCF device port from a second FCF device, a second FLOGI thatincludes the local routing instruction; generating, by the first FCFdevice in response to receiving the second FLOGI with the local routinginstruction, a second enode association list that is based on the firstenode association list, wherein the second enode association listassociates initiator devices and target devices that are logged in tothe FC networking device through the second FCF device; and providing,by the first FCF device through the fourth FCF device port to the secondFCF device, the second enode association list that causes the second FCFdevice to generate a second FCF device association table.
 18. The methodof claim 15, further comprising: receiving, by the first FCF device at afourth FCF device port from a second FCF device, second traffic thatoriginates from a second initiator device and that is addressed to thefirst target device; determining, by the first FCF device, using thefirst FCF device association table, that the first target device isassociated with the second initiator device; and routing, by the firstFCF device and in response to determining the first target device isassociated with the second initiator device, the second traffic throughthe second FCF device port to the first target device without forwardingthe first traffic through the third FCF device port to the FC networkingdevice.
 19. The method of claim 15, further comprising: receiving, bythe first FCF device at a fourth FCF device port from a second FCFdevice, second traffic that originates from a second initiator deviceand that is addressed to a second target device that is coupled to thesecond FCF device; determining, by the first FCF device using the firstFCF device association table, that the second target device identifiedin the second traffic is associated with the second initiator device;and routing, by the first FCF device and in response to determining thesecond target device is associated with the second initiator device, thesecond traffic through the fourth FCF device port to the second FCFdevice, wherein the second traffic is forwarded to the second targetdevice by the second FCF device without forwarding the first trafficthrough the first FCF device port to the FC networking device.
 20. Themethod of claim 15, further comprising: receiving, by the first FCFdevice at the first FCF device port, second traffic that originates fromthe first initiator device and that is addressed to a second targetdevice; determine, by the first FCF device using the first FCF deviceassociation table that identifies predefined zones provided by the FCnetworking device, that there is no association between the firstinitiator device and the second target device; and forward, by the firstFCF device and in response to determining the second target device isnot associated with the first initiator device, the second trafficthrough the third FCF device port toward the FC networking device.